Statement re Digitalisation of corrugated industry

Statement re Digitalisation of corrugated industry

Smurfit Kappa Group PLC

17th July 2018

Smurfit Kappa embracing digitalisation of corrugated industry by developing new range of paper

Smurfit Kappa is continuing to bring digital innovation to the corrugated industry by developing a range of multi-purpose paper that will be suitable for both digital and flexographic printers.

The advancements in digital printing, including customised graphic design, have delivered a range of benefits to customers including greater flexibility and an uplift in sales.

As the provider of a broad portfolio of paper-based packaging products, Smurfit Kappa is capitalising on its expertise and experience to develop a unique and sustainable solution for all printing technologies.

For customers to fully avail of the potential that digital print holds for both packaging and Point of Sale displays, the printer should work hand-in-hand with the packaging material. This is why Smurfit Kappa made the decision to develop a new range of paper that can maximise the capabilities of digital print.

The new paper will open up a world of new possibilities for the packaging industry. While one of the properties of the new range being worked on currently is that it will be suitable for both UV and water-based digital print, it will also be compatible with traditional flexographic printers, providing more choice for customers.

Today’s consumers want both quality and customised print and Smurfit Kappa's ShelfSmart technology has proven that well-designed, customised graphic design boosts sales across all sales channels.

Speaking about the new paper, Lars Henriksson, VP Product Development, Smurfit Kappa Paper Division said: “To offer our customers the right graphic design with the right flexibility and quality, Smurfit Kappa has embraced digital printing.

“This new range of paper has performed very well in our beta programme tests and looks very promising. It will be another step forward on our journey towards digitalising the paper-based packaging industry.”

The launch of the new paper is planned for later this year and follows on from Smurfit Kappa’s investment in state-of-the-art printing machines.

ENDS

Contact for media:

Sinead Gill
Smurfit Kappa
T: [phone]
E:[e-mail]

About Smurfit Kappa

Smurfit Kappa, a FTSE 100 company, is one of the leading providers of paper-based packaging solutions in the world, with around 46,000 employees in approximately 370 production sites across 35 countries and with revenue of €8.6 billion in 2017. We are located in 22 countries in Europe, and 13 in the Americas. We are the only large-scale pan-regional player in Latin America.

With our proactive team we relentlessly use our extensive experience and expertise, supported by our scale, to open up opportunities for our customers. We collaborate with forward-thinking customers by sharing superior product knowledge, market understanding and insights in packaging trends to ensure business success in their markets. We have an unrivalled portfolio of paper-packaging solutions, which is constantly updated with our market-leading innovations. This is enhanced through the benefits of our integration, with optimal paper design, logistics, timeliness of service, and our packaging plants sourcing most of their raw materials from our own paper mills.

Our products, which are 100% renewable and produced sustainably, improve the environmental footprint of our customers.

Follow us on Twitter at @smurfitkappa and on LinkedIn at ‘Smurfit Kappa’.

www.smurfitkappa.com

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